Recipes

In this section, you will find recipes for some of our favourite sabbat treats.

MULLED WINE CORDIAL

Shared by P, 2011

This is an easy recipe a favourite of all celebrations and makes a great wine for circles. Many have tasted this in the centre of Mt Franklin and it has been a feature for over 30 years. I first made this for the pagan community at the mid winter festival before the 1st Mt Franklin. This is enough to make a cordial to make 10 litres of wine.

Why a cordial and not the mix. It’s easier to transport 1 bottle of cordial to mix with wine rather than making it on the spot. Also you can make cup full size to microwave for your self on a cold winters night without having to make a 4 litre mix.

Ingredients

500g of Honey

500g of raw sugar

1 small linen bag (to put the spices in.)

2 whole nutmegs

3 sticks of cinnamon

½ a teaspoon of mace. (the outer part of the nutmeg)

½ a teaspoon of turmeric. (good for stopping Alzheimer’s)

½ a teaspoon of ground cardamom.

1 teaspoon of whole cloves.

1 teaspoon of ground ginger.

¼ teaspoon of paprika. (this gives a little kick to the taste that fools people in to thinking the drink is more alcoholic than it is)

4 litres of wine.(merlot or a cabernet is best)

1 litre of water

Equipment

1 pot able to hold 5 to 6 litres

1 saucepan

1 small linen bag (to put the spices in.)

1 bottle or large jar to place the cordial in.

Procedure

This should be done a day or two ahead.

Place the nutmeg and cinnamon into the bag and hit them so as to break up the nutmegs and cinnamon. Then add the rest of the spices. Tie off the bag and throw it into a saucepan with the water and a cup of wine.

Boil it down to ½ it’s original volume then add the sugar and dissolve. Finally add the honey and dissolve this. Pour the mixture into your bottle or jar and seal. I like a large jar because I like to place the spice bag into the mix and let it mature a little.

The wine

One the night simply gently heat your wine add your cordial and enjoy. If you want to make it sweeter add more honey or raw sugar. A slow cooker is a great way of heating the wine if you are making it for an indoor party. For personal use add a little to a cup top with wine and microwave for 1minute

To make Glavine add lemon and orange zest and some chunky diced apples and pears!

To make sangria add a tin of fruit mix and chill.

Mead

Shared by P, 2011

This recipe is simple and will make 24x 750ml bottles of medium sparkling mead it you should see plenty of it this October.

Ingredients

6kg of Honey

20 litres of clean water

1 packet of yeast

1 packet of yeast nutrient (talk to your local brew shop about the best yeasts and nutrients)

1 packet of brewing lozenges (or white sugar)

Equipment

1 beer brew kit.

25 litre sealed container (fomenter vat)

1 air lock

1 bottling hose

1 long spoon

1 thermometer

24 x 750ml bottles and caps

Procedure

Clean, clean, clean everything. You can use regular home brew products or just bleach and hot water just be sure to rinse every thing before use.

For those who are used to beer making just treat the honey as you would your beer malts.

Boil 4 litres of water add your honey to dissolve it and add the mixture to your vat.

Fill the vat with the other 16 litres of water and stir. Make sure the mix is dissolved.

Make sure the water temperature is less than 28 degrees Celsius. Add your nutrients then your yeast. Close your fomenter vat and put your airlock in place.

The mix will bubble away for at least 2 weeks depending on your ambient temperature. Cooler temperature will mean a longer fermentation time.

Wait for fermentation to stop at least for 2 days. Other recipes will ask you to decant your mead into another container at this stage to clarify the mix. But we want a little live yeast left to allow a fizz.

Clean your bottles.

Add 2 lozenges or a tea spoon of sugar to each bottle. Fill the bottle and cap.

Leave for 1 month before your first taste. The mead won’t be at its best until at least 3 months after bottling. It might be a little cloudy but no more than an ale would be.

It’s best to cut your teeth brewing beer before you try mead just to get used to the processes. Good Luck.